“Into the Fire” ( 3 x 01 )

So! Last time on Stargate SG-1, Carter, Jackson, and O’Neill were captured by Hathor the Creeper and she’s about to goa’uld one of them. Meanwhile, Teal’c realizes that his team is missing (no!?) but he’s back at Cheyenne Mountain. However, since they cannot aid his team, he resigns from the SGC and returns to Chulak.

Not the most exciting set-up ever, but if there’s anything I’ve learned from this series, for every lackluster episode, there are three or four awesome ones. This has the potential to be bra’tac.

Random opening note: Christopher Judge voiced the opening, “Previously on…” … “…And now, the conclusion.” Hee. I love his voice.

On base, Colonel Makepeace frantically runs to Hammond and tells him, by way of some Tok’ra, of SG-1’s situation. (I knew he’d have his fifteen minutes of fame!) He shows him a map of Hathor’s facility they obtained through a Tok’ra operative on the “inside”. (Wow, they really do do a lot of infiltration.) Hammond mobilizes the remaining SG teams, and they all eagerly step forward through the ‘Gate, Makepeace leading the charge.

Just really shows you how these SG teams really care about each other. Just like in “A Matter of Time” (2x16), when they tried desperately, every single thing, every option, to save SG-10, these crews are trying to save SG-1. It’s neat how, even though they’re split up, they are still connected by the common goal. I like it.

Back with Miss Creeper, the symbiote she’s been hanging on to more or less chooses O’Neill. He makes a grab at it, but then Raleigh zats him – and it. The Goa’uld squeals and wriggles away.

Hm… There’s something about her that’s just a little bit… off.

Meanwhile, we find out what’s up with Teal’c. (Finally!) He’s, of course, back on Chulak. He enters a ruined house, and finds…

BRA’TAC!

(Oh my GOD! Bra’tac! Hi! Hi! Hi!! I missed you! You’re so awesome, you’re the adjective for it! Aah I missed yoooouu!!!)

He’s been seriously injured (nah, I doubt it, he’s probably just faking it. After all, he is Bra’tac. He can look at an injury and injure it. He injures injuries) by the last of Apophis’ guard. Instead of rejoicing over the Goa’uld’s death, the people of Chulak believe Klorel will simply come to take his place.

Well, that’s a bummer.

Once more with Hathor, she’s strapped down O’Neill after his little stunt in the false ‘Gate room. The nasty, green, snake-y thing goes into the back of his neck.

(Fight it, Jack, FIGHT IT!!)

The SG teams have stormed in, so Hathor and her Jaffa cronies go out to confront them. Raleigh works the controls (holy—she’s a Tok’ra! That explains the Zat gun use) and puts him back into the cryogenic tank in order to prevent the true joining.

On Chulak, Teal’c approaches his people that night and… Wow, he’s really serious business. This is like First-Prime-of-Apophis-Teal’c, instead of Honed-in-the-Fire-Teal’c. This is that fire finally flaring up – and maybe it’s long-due. To be honest, it’s kind of creepy. Must be a cultural thing. One thing’s for sure: He is not happy with them. His reaction is more or less, “I just killed your enslaver and now you’re just waiting for the next one?! What is wrong with you people?!”

Outside of Hathor’s domain, a firefight ensues, and Makepeace leads his men. They eventually rescue Carter and Jackson, but they leave behind O’Neill, believing him to be a casualty now. They move to the ‘Gate, but it’s guarded by an energy shield and several Jaffa. They find Tok’ra-constructed tunnels and escape to them. Hammond gets through to Makepeace and promises them reinforcements. However, that may be easier said than done.

Carter goes back in to try and shut down the shield generators while Makepeace takes his troops to confront the Jaffa guards.

Once more on Chulak, Teal’c gives a very impassioned speech to a small crowd. It’s really quite good and strangely empowering of the Jaffa, but it doesn’t quite do the trick. When he asks of them, “Who will join me?” he gets about… five volunteers. Including Bra’tac.

(It’s okay, Teal’c! I’ll join you! Oh pick me, pick me!)

See, I don’t get this. I know that among the men, at least, they’re a warrior race. Even the women I imagine must have a sense of pride and honour in their families and status. Have they simply been enslaved for so long that there exists little to no pride and sense of independence? Do they merely lack the confidence? I don’t know. It just doesn’t feel right.

Nonetheless, Teal’c approaches those who stepped forward proudly and salutes them. One pulls down his hood, and…

…It’s General Hammond!

Oh, I love where this is going!

(How often do I get to say that?)

Carter finds the Tok’ra, who was attacked by Hathor (I hate her), and she tells her how to revive O’Neill. She does, and he’s okay!

…But then Hathor shows up.

But then O’Neill throws her into the cryogenic tank! YEAH!! He’s such a BAMF!

He and Carter embrace (I see you giggling in the background, all you Sam/Jack shippers) and all is well.

But, uh, there’s still that shield thing to take care of. Hello? Guys? You can hug later!

Bra’tac leads Teal’c and Hammond to what I can only assume is an old Death Glider. It’s pretty cool, actually. The design kind of reminds me of a 22^nd-Century Vulcan ship… Anyways, Teal’c will take the helm, go through the Stargate, and then they’re all just gonna be awesome and probably save the day. Whoo!

Carter and O’Neill successfully set the charges on the shield generators, but they find the other SG members lined up on their knees for execution. (No! Makepeace! He can’t just die after his fifteen minutes of fame!) O’Neill approaches them and yells:

“Jaffa, kree! You heard me; I said KREE!”

He essentially tries to buy them time, just running his mouth at Trotsky, but it is so funny and it is so O’Neill.

The Stargate activates, and out comes the Death Glider with Teal’c at the proverbial steering wheel and Hamond at weapons. The C-4 blows the shields and then the Glider talks out one of the two guard towers.

A huge firefight ensues, and Bra’tac and his cronies come in to help, too. Hammond blasts a guard tower, and then we get the greatest line ever:

“YEEEEE-HAAAAW!”

Oh god. I love that man.

The other Jaffa surrender, and they all reunite and it’s beautiful and SO MUCH AWESOME but now it’s over and I’m sad.

Final thoughts… Now, why couldn’t the last finale have been at least half as awesome as this? This was a fantastic episode. It had humour, closure, the death of a very annoying character, Sam/Jack, freaking BRA’TAC, and lots of awesome fight scenes with epic explosions, gunfire, et cetera. It had all the elements of a great Stargate episode. I really can’t ask for more. Except maybe more Jacob Carter.

This was an excellent opening, which is especially important for a show that’s still relatively young. Nowadays that wouldn’t be true, but if you think about some of the older sci-fi shows (most of the Star Treks, X-Files, and the like) they started getting on their feet around the third-fourth season, and then it just really takes off from there. Frankly, though, I’ve been really impressed so far. Besides, we finally got some idea of how Chulak is reacting to the death of Apophis. It makes you wonder how other worlds will, or would, react to the eventual demises of their respective gods. I highly doubt it’s going to be Apophis and Hathor and no others.

Very good lead-in. Now that I’ve got the DVD set for this next season, there’s really nothing more to do than watch and enjoy! Here’s to another great season of Jack, Sam, Daniel, Teal’c, and everyone else that makes this one of the best scifis I’ve ever seen!

PREDICTION/REFLECTION THINGY

(The SGC celebrates its collective victory!)

Makepeace: …So then I shot the other Serpent Guard, and he went down, and it was awesome!

Hammond: You really came through today, son. That’s something to be proud of.

Makepeace: Thanks, sir.

O’Neill: And I propose a toast to the Tok’ra who saved my life from that really nasty worm.

Carter: Hear, hear!

Jackson: You know, I felt kind of useless this time around. Kind of depressing.

O’Neill: It’s okay, Daniel. We can’t all have our moment of fame all the time.

Random SG Lieutenant: Did you guys see that Jaffa who shot down Trotsky? Awesome!

Teal’c: I do believe that was Master Bra’tac.

SG Lieutenant: Bra’tac, huh? Sounds like the master of awesome!

Marie: I agree! To awesome people everywhere!

All: Hear, hear!